1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector and lens block connecting structure for connecting an optical connector and a lens block provided at an end of an optical fiber cable, and an optical module using the connecting structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, devices, such as an optical transceiver and the like, generally use an optical element array (e.g. a VCSEL (vertical cavity surface) array or a PD (photodiode) array) having arrayed surface emitting elements or surface receiving elements.
In the optical element array using surface emitting elements or surface receiving elements, an optical path of light emitted from or received in the optical element array is perpendicular to a substrate mounted with the optical element array. On the other hand, in devices such as an optical transceiver and the like, an optical fiber cable optically connected with the optical element array is generally arranged parallel to the substrate mounted with the optical element array.
A known structure to optically connect the optical element array and the optical fiber cable has a lens block arranged above the optical element array to bend the optical path of light emitted from or received in the optical element array through 90 degrees to convert into an optical path parallel to the substrate, and an MT (mechanically transferable) ferrule provided at an end of the optical fiber cable for being mounted to the lens block.
Refer to JP-A-2008-224954 and JP-A-2006-11092, for example.